Thomas R - Business Manager

My name is Thomas R I’m business manager of general surgery and neurology at united Lincolnshire hospitals. It’s a very, very challenging role as I’m sure the majority of roles in healthcare are. It’s exceptionally rewarding as well though, to be so close to the patients but equally be in a role where I can strategically influence what happens in the future with patient experiences.

I joined the graduate management scheme in 2009 and through doing a couple of placements on the graduate management scheme I developed the experience and the competences to go for jobs such as this one that I’m currently in now.

After coming out of university, going through the various graduate schemes that are on offer, the NHS graduate management scheme was highlighted as being one of the best graduate management schemes in the UK. On further investigation I felt that the values of the NHS were very much linked to my own personal values as well and actually working towards making a tangible difference to people rather than a bottom line profit.

When I first started university my thoughts were very much more towards sport and pursuing a career in sport at that time. As I went through university I became a lot more academically focused and then in my final year I was looking towards careers, and I’m sure much like many other graduates came across various graduate schemes and investigated them further, which brought me into the NHS.

I went into Cardiff University and did a degree in sport and exercise science. My dad was in the RAF when I was growing up and my mum is an inventor and my wife is a doctor. So I was brought into contact with the health service through my wife as well.

Each new job brings with it new challenges and if they weren’t new challenges then they wouldn’t be very interesting. So the grad scheme brought challenges and it stretched me to enable me to get to the job I’m currently in, and the job I’m in now stretches me even further.

I studied quite a range of subjects, I studied maths, English, sports science, biology, and psychology so I covered quite a broad range. They were very much my own choice, there was nobody pushing me towards any of them. They were the subjects that at that time I found the most interesting.

One of the biggest parts of my life when I was growing up was my involvement in sport and particularly rowing and throughout that time I had coaches who had worked in very much a mentorship role for me, particularly a couple, in my early development in rowing that were very much guides not just in the sport but guides in overall development. I was perhaps not the model student when I was growing up I think that my teachers would certainly call me a challenge.

I had focused on things that perhaps weren’t what the teachers wanted me to focus on, it was always felt that if I put my attention to things I was excellent, but I was very, very motivated towards sport and I was very motivated towards specific subjects, but certain subjects I didn’t pay as much attention in as one would hope.

Thomas R

My name is Thomas R I’m business manager of general surgery and neurology at united Lincolnshire hospitals. It’s a very, very challenging role as I’m sure the majority of roles in healthcare are. It’s exceptionally rewarding as well though, to be so close to the patients but equally be in a role where I can strategically influence what happens in the future with patient experiences.
I joined the graduate management scheme in 2009 and through doing a couple of placements on the graduate management scheme I developed the experience and the competences to go for jobs such as this one that I’m currently in now.
After coming out of university, going through the various graduate schemes that are on offer, the NHS graduate management scheme was highlighted as being one of the best graduate management schemes in the UK. On further investigation I felt that the values of the NHS were very much linked to my own personal values as well and actually working towards making a tangible difference to people rather than a bottom line profit.
When I first started university my thoughts were very much more towards sport and pursuing a career in sport at that time. As I went through university I became a lot more academically focused and then in my final year I was looking towards careers, and I’m sure much like many other graduates came across various graduate schemes and investigated them further, which brought me into the NHS.
I went into Cardiff University and did a degree in sport and exercise science. My dad was in the RAF when I was growing up and my mum is an inventor and my wife is a doctor. So I was brought into contact with the health service through my wife as well.
Each new job brings with it new challenges and if they weren’t new challenges then they wouldn’t be very interesting. So the grad scheme brought challenges and it stretched me to enable me to get to the job I’m currently in, and the job I’m in now stretches me even further.
I studied quite a range of subjects, I studied maths, English, sports science, biology, and psychology so I covered quite a broad range. They were very much my own choice, there was nobody pushing me towards any of them. They were the subjects that at that time I found the most interesting.
One of the biggest parts of my life when I was growing up was my involvement in sport and particularly rowing and throughout that time I had coaches who had worked in very much a mentorship role for me, particularly a couple, in my early development in rowing that were very much guides not just in the sport but guides in overall development. I was perhaps not the model student when I was growing up I think that my teachers would certainly call me a challenge.
I had focused on things that perhaps weren’t what the teachers wanted me to focus on, it was always felt that if I put my attention to things I was excellent, but I was very, very motivated towards sport and I was very motivated towards specific subjects, but certain subjects I didn’t pay as much attention in as one would hope.

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About Thomas R

Age at filming: 19-25,
Employer's name: United Lincolnshire Hospitals
Thomas R is a Business Manager for General Surgery and Neurology for United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. He moved into this role after completing the NHS Graduate Training Scheme. He chose to apply for the scheme whilst at university as he felt that it sounded one of the best Graduate schemes in the UK at the moment.

More information about health services and public health managers and directors

Description

Managers and directors in this unit group plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the resources and activities of health care providers and purchasers at both district and unit levels.

Qualifications

Entrants require a degree or equivalent qualification, a professional qualification and/or relevant experience. Off- and on-the-job training is provided through management training schemes. The nature of schemes varies between regions and occupational areas.

Tasks

Implements policies of the board, ensures statutory procedures are followed, with particular emphasis on patient safety and the management of risk

Liaises with health care professionals to determine short and long-term needs and how to meet these objectives within budgetary constraints

Oversees the day-to-day management of the unit or service and provides leadership to staff

Uses statistical information to monitor performance and assist with planning

Negotiates and manages contracts with providers and purchasers of health care services

Manages staff, including recruitment, appraisal and development

Monitors and reports upon the effectiveness of services with a view to improving the efficiency of health care provision

Coordinates the promotion of public health and wellbeing in the actions and policies of public agencies and their social partners